When comparing Portal 2 vs Bionic Commando: Rearmed, the Slant community recommends Portal 2 for most people. In the question“What are the best local co-op PC games?”Portal 2 is ranked 4th while Bionic Commando: Rearmed is ranked 52nd. The most important reason people chose Portal 2 is:

Co-op multiplayer offers a completely different set of puzzles from the single-player campaign, which keeps things fresh for those that finished the single player campaign. Almost all co-op puzzles require a high level of teamwork, creating a great sense of accomplishment for the players working together.

Pros

Pro

Creates a sense of accomplishment through a high level of teamwork

Co-op multiplayer offers a completely different set of puzzles from the single-player campaign, which keeps things fresh for those that finished the single player campaign. Almost all co-op puzzles require a high level of teamwork, creating a great sense of accomplishment for the players working together.

Pro

Challenging puzzles that require creative thinking

The game challenges your brain to use portals, cubes and other mechanics in order to solve simple and complex puzzles in interesting ways. Trying to figure out the best placement of entrance and exit portals in order to gain access to (perceived) inaccessible places takes a lot of thought, especially in the later game.

Pro

Huge selection of user-generated content that should appeal to any use-case

The game has more than 60,000 co-op puzzles created by users through the Steam Workshop and through mods. Because it is user-generated content, the quality and size of these puzzles vary widely, including everything from simple, one-off chambers to full-fledged expansions with high-quality stories, voice-overs, and new gameplay elements (for example, Mel). By having such a selection of content, there should be something that appeals to just about anything someone is looking for.

Pro

Co-op does not punish when you want to goof off with or troll the other player

While Portal 2 requires focus and logic, it does not punish players for causing a bit of mischief. The instant respawn system means trolling your friend will affect almost nothing in the game, as there are no in-game setbacks when you die. Being able to stop at any point in the game to just goof around is great for releasing some steam, even when it is at the expense of your co-op partner.

Pro

Well implemented tools that improve teamwork

In a game that requires perfect timing and teamwork, Portal 2 features many tools to facilitate said teamwork. One of the most helpful tools is a 3-second countdown timer that players can use to coordinate their actions – e.g., to ensure that you launch a portal or jump at the perfect time. There is also a marker that you can place on certain objects for your teammate to see, as well as a setting that shows your partner's view superimposed on the corner of your screen.

Pro

Entertaining and well delivered voice acting

Voice acting for Wheatley the robot is done by Stephen Merchant (Extras, The Office UK, Life's Too Short) in humorous fashion. His delivery is well executed on all dialogue. On top of this specific experience, the rest of the voice acting of every other character in the game is performed just as well, in part due to the fact that the dialogue was written in a smart and entertaining fashion. This makes for a top quality listening experience that shows a lot of care was taken with the voice acting of the game.

Pro

So large in scope that it takes multiple playthroughs to see everything

Portal 2 is larger in every way when compared to the first title, from the longer and more detailed story to the larger levels and new game mechanics. This makes for a title that will last 8-9 hours minimum, with many elements that are worth revisiting, not to mention the co-op section of the game, which is separate from the single player story.

Pro

Versatile selection of co-op multiplayer

It’s possible to play a multiplayer game for free online using the Steam servers, as well as locally on your machine using split-screen (the second player must use a gamepad controller if playing locally). This keeps the multiplayer options versatile to any players needs.

Pro

Witty and funny character driven story

Four major characters drive the single player campaign, and they are amazing. Three of which have explosive personalities, bring humor, suspense, sadness, and empathy. The other being Chell, who doesn’t speak but her interactions with the rest of the cast make her all the more mysterious and interesting. Most of the time you don’t even see or directly interact with the characters, but that just shows how great they are.

Pro

Fun movement mechanic

There is no jump button in the game, the only way to navigate over gaps is to use ones arm grapple hook. This hearkens back to the original game and is an enjoyable experience for maneuvering that is not often seen in classic styled platformers.

Cons

Con

Main co-op campaign is short

The co-op campaign in Portal 2 is about 4 hours long for experienced players, meaning it could be beaten in a just a couple days. With almost zero replayability, this makes the game feel incredibly short. Luckily, hundreds of hours of user-generated content is available.

Con

Steep co-op learning curve

Although the single-player campaign features a gradual learning curve, co-op offers no mercy. The puzzles start off hard and only get harder. It’s highly recommended that you play through single-player first if you are not familiar with Portal's mechanics.

Con

No replay value

Since its a puzzle game, once you know the solution, there is no reason to play again.

Con

Late game single player can be quite difficult

While the single player learning curve is quite gradual, late game the puzzles can become quite difficult, sometimes leading to the player being stuck for long stretches of time. While not impossible to solve, some creative thinking will need to be done in order to finish.

Con

Poor controls

Both keyboard and controller controls are inaccurate at times making for a frustrating experience.